Yesterday was a day with many glitches and great encouragement in worship and a change of plans. As for my musings …

-It was powerful seeing 9 people come forward to invite Jesus to meet them at their hurt, sorrow, anger or loss and to begin healing. It was moving to see each of these people have others place hands on shoulders in prayer as comfort and support. This was very encouraging to experience.

-I had planned to be gone visiting my Dad for a couple of days, but was advised that this might not be the best week for that, so I changed my plans and will go another week very soon. That change of plans has created some unexpected time for me today. Now I just need to be sure and not blow that glorious opportunity of some extra time.

-My Assistant Pastor was gone yesterday preaching at another church so a pastor friend could get away. I am not sure we can allow him to miss another Sunday morning in the future. We had nothing but problems with our computers, projectors and most of our media stuff. It is now obvious that I can be gone and everything goes smoothly, but when he is gone we are in trouble.

-Last night I slept through the night. That is significant because for the past couple of weeks I have been waking up anywhere between 1:00 and 3:00 am burdened for one someone or something. On some of those nights I prayed briefly and went right back to sleep, but on many of those nights it was an hour or two before I was peaceful enough to go back to sleep.

-I received communication from my son and my daughter in law last week. They are still awaiting word on where their next ministry assignment will be. They are still in Africa and their next ministry location will be in Africa. They are safe and they are in a location where they can communicate more frequently. Thank you for your prayers. Continue to pray for them as their next assignment is determined.

-I tend to be a “piler” instead of a “filer” when it comes to paperwork in my office. I generally know where anything is in the piles and can retrieve an item in a moment or two. Looking at my desk this morning, it appears that it is time for some purging, a little filing and some “re-piling”. Everything but the “re-piling” will make my wife happy.

-My 9:00 church had 5 Easter attenders return yesterday. That was encouraging.

-I have been asking “Why not?” a lot recently. As I study scripture and history and see the great moves of the Holy Spirit in the past, I keep asking “Why not now? Why not here?” God is still God. God is still in the life-changing business. Revival is still possible. Transformation is still happening around the world. So, why not here and why not now? I am growing more and more desperate to see mighty move of God in my churches and community. The big conclusion I have come to is that the problem is not with God. He is able, willing and ready to bring revival. The problem must be with me. I am seeking revival in me first. Many years ago, Rodney “Gypsy” Smith, a preacher based in England, was asked what it took to see a mighty move of God. He answered, “Go home. Lock yourself in your room. Kneel down in the middle of the floor, and with a piece of chalk draw a circle around yourself. There, on your knees, pray fervently and brokenly that God would start a revival within that chalk circle.”

-I am grateful for a couple of days of sunshine. We have been cloudy for a long stretch of time. However, our attendance would suggest that many people used the sunshine as a reason to be places other than church yesterday. I have always said that pastors usually hope for mediocre weather on Sunday mornings. Not so bad that people will use that as an excuse to stay home and not so good that people use that as a reason to go do other things. We pastors are a strange group.

-Now to figure out what to do on this unexpected time with no plans. Where are my fishing poles? Maybe under a pile of stuff on my desk.

Dennis